


Bringing Paris to the Playroom

by Closeted_Calliope



Category: Raggedy Ann & Andy - All Media Types, Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Homesickness, Misunderstandings, This is for my buddy nick and also tumblr user kind-little-fella, Update: I’ve finished writing and realized I forgot the camel, also the captain died or smth he's not important here, and andy gets to be a mime, ann and the toys don't know a thing about paris, but darn it they're gonna bring it to the play room anyway, hope especially you two enjoy lol, im not phonetically writing babettes accent die mad about it, its just, its just girls being soft and in love, oh well i guess, we are ignoring everything that happens in the movie after ann n bab hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 06:47:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29185020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Closeted_Calliope/pseuds/Closeted_Calliope
Summary: When Ann notices Babette seems to be missing her old life in Paris more than usual, she gets all the toys in the playroom to help her on her most ambitious project yet: giving Babette a little slice of her former home.
Relationships: Raggedy Ann/Babette
Comments: 9
Kudos: 51





	Bringing Paris to the Playroom

**Author's Note:**

> I fully blame my buddy Nick (@spaloonbabooguscooties on tumblr) and tumblr user @kind-little-fella for dragging me into this, now I ship the gay little dolls and its all their fault.
> 
> Also the song Babette sings in the beginning is literally just La Vie En Rose.
> 
> Also also i literally haven't consumed any other media for Raggedys yet other than the movie so like don't @ me if this doesn't 100% line up with Raggedy canon.

" _Quand il me prend dans ses bras, il me parle tout bas, je vois la vie en rose..._ "

Ann sighed contently as Babette sang, running her fingers through her soft yarn hair. She closed her eyes and snuggled a bit deeper into Babette's lap, utterly at ease.

" _Il me dit des mots d'amour, des mots de tous les jours, et ca me fait quelque chose..._ "

It was a quiet afternoon in the playroom. Marcella had gone out with her family to visit her grandparents for the day, and the toys were left to their own devices once again. Ann had found Babette sitting on the windowsill, peeking out at the rainy sky and looking awful sad. 

Well, that simply wouldn't do. So Ann climbed up onto the rocking chair and pulled herself onto the windowsill and plopped her head into Babette's lap. She'd smiled and begun to run her delicate porcelain fingers through Ann's hair. It felt very nice, and Ann was sometimes sad that she couldn't run her big stuffed mitts though Babette's hair the same way. Still, it was very relaxing, Ann found.

Babette picked up a stray piece of yarn from beside her and gently began to move Ann's hair around, all while singing, " _Il est entre dans mon coeur, une part de bonheur, don't je connais la cause..._ "

Ann simply let Babette play around with her hair, listening to the words she sang. She didn't understand what she was saying at all, but they sounded so beautiful coming out of her mouth. She had no idea that Babette could sing so wonderfully, and sent butterflies into Ann's little candy heart.

" _C'est lui pour moi, moi pour lui, dans la vie, il me l'a dit, l'a jure pour la vie, et des que je l'apercois, alors je sens en moi, mon coeur qui bat_ " Babette finished as she tied a small bun in the top of Ann's yarny locks.

Ann smiled softly and looked up at Babette as she mused, "Oh, Babette, that was the most beautiful singing I've ever heard in my whole life."

Babette chuckled. "It was nothing special, just a song I remember from the toy store back in Paris. They would play it all the time, and I suppose I just picked it up after a while."

"What were those words you were singing? Why, I've- I've never heard anything like that before."

"That's because the words are in French, my dear Annie," Babette explained, taking one of Ann's plush hands in her nimble porcelain ones. "In France, the people speak an entire different language."

Ann was surprised. "Really? Why do they do that?"

"I don't know, but it certainly is beautiful, yes?"

"Yeah, it sure is," Ann agreed. 'What do the words mean?"

Humming, Babette squeezed Ann's hand around in her own and replied, "I'm not sure how to provide an exact translation, but the story of the song is that the singer is happy because she's so in love with someone, the whole world feels like it's become pink."

"Gosh, that's so lovely, Babette!"

" _Oui,_ " She agreed, a small smile on her face. But then she looked back outside at the rain and couldn't help but sigh sadly.

"What's wrong, Babette?"

"I... do not wish to sound ungrateful, because I really do love it here with all of you, but..." Babette frowned, "I cannot help but miss Paris sometimes."

Ann pursed her fabric lips, thinking this over for a moment, and pulled herself out of Babette's lap so that she was sitting up on the windowsill, facing her. "Tell me about Paris, Babette."

Babette seemed a little surprised that Ann was so curious about her former home, but regardless informed her, "It's a magnificent place... so many different things to do and see, like theres the bells in Notre Dame, the Lourve museum, many of the people wore berets and ate croissants, one could even see a mime performing every now and then-"

"What's a mime?"

"They're people who dress up in black and white and pretend to be stuck inside of boxes."

"Oh, so they're people who play pretend for others!"

"Yes, I suppose that's one way of describing them. Oh, and at night, from the toy store's window, you could see the Eiffel tower lighting up the sky." Babette sighed wistfully at the memory.

Ann was't sure how to respond to all that, so she just rested her hand atop Babette's and said, "I know you miss Paris an awful lot."

Babette nodded sadly, "Yes, it's true, but it will be alright. As much as I miss Paris, I wouldn't give up living with all of you for the whole world."

Ann smiled at that, and leaned in to give her a great big hug, but even as they embraced, she still had a small egging feeling in the pit of her stuffed chest, like Babette was more homesick than she was willing to tell her.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Babette ended up excusing herself into the dollhouse not long after, saying she needed to take a nap, and that's when Ann turned to Andy, seated next to her with his hat over his eyes sleepily, and said, "We need to bring Paris to Babette."

Andy adjusted his hat and looked at her, utterly confused. 'We can't bring Paris all the way over here! It's too far away and too big to fit in the playroom!"

Ann shook her head and said, "No! Not _all_ of Paris! Just enough of of it to make Babette feel better. She's been really homesick all day and I think she would appreciate us bringing a little bit of Paris here."

"Annie, I don't want to be a part of another one of your silly schemes today! I don't think my heart can take it," Andy groaned.

"Oh please, Andrew," Ann begged, "I know it's gonna help Babette feel better but I can't do it without you!"

Andy rolled his button eyes, but still grumbled, "Okay, _fiiiiiine_. But I'm not gonna do anything fancy or frilly or whatever Paris people do."

"Oh thank you! I know that this'll cheer up Babette real good!" Ann wrapped her arms around her brother and squeezed him real tight, grinning ecstatically.

"Yeah, yeah, don't mention it, sis," he scoffed with a smile, half-heartedly pushing her away. "So what are we gonna do to make the playroom like Paris?"

Ann rested her hand on her chin and considered this. "Well, I remember Babette mentioned an eye-filled tower...:"

"A tower full of eyes? That's sounds crazy!"

"I know, but we have to try! It's the only way to help out Babette!"

Just then, the Twin Pennies popped out from behind an abandoned roller skate and sang, " _What's the plan? What's the plan? What are you planning, Raggedy Ann? Wooooooaaahhh-woah!_ "

Grandpa, Susie Pincushion and Maxi-Fixit also made their way over upon hearing the commotion from the Pennies. Topsy flopped over next to Ann and Andy and asked, 'What's all this about?"

"We're going to bring some of the things that Babette misses from Paris here to the playroom so that she doesn't feel as homesick!" Ann explained cheerfully.

Grandpa adjusted his hat with a smile. "Why, that's a great idea, Ann! How do you reckon we start?"

"Hmmm, I haven't quite gotten that far yet..."

"We could always look through Marcella's kraft drawer," Barney Beancushion suggested, waddling over to the conversation.

"That's a great idea!" Ann exclaimed as she ran over to the drawer. She wasn't quite strong enough to pull it open all by herself, so her friends and brother all made their way over to assist her in pulling the handle open. It took a few good yanks, but it wasn't long before they were able to open the kraft drawer enough to reach inside and grab what they needed. 

The kraft drawer was chock filled with all sorts of art supplies: paints, construction paper, glue, popsicle sticks, googly eyes, you name it, Marcella had it stocked.

Ann clapped her hands together happily. "Oh, Babette's gonna love this!"

"So, Ann, where do we start?" Susie asked.

"Hmm..." Ann thought about what Babette had told her. "Well, she mentioned a place called Noter Damn, and that it had bells-"

The other toys gasped.

Andy remarked, "Jeez, sis, watch the language, will ya?"

"Oh no, Andy, that's just what the place the bells are from is called, Babette said so herself!" Ann insisted.

"Hmmm, I still think we should call it Noter Darn," Andy maintained, crossing his arms in front of him.

Ann sighed, defeated, "Well, I suppose Babette wouldn't mind too much if we had to change it a little bit. But the most important thing she mentioned were the bells, so we gotta have some of those."

"Where does the Noter part come from?" Socko asked.

"I'm not sure, but maybe.... maybe it's a note, like a letter? Maybe if we write Babette a letter about how much we love and care about her, it will remind her of Paris!"

The other toys nodded. That seemed to be a sound reasoning for it.

"What else did she mention?"

"She mentioned a museum called the Loove... and that sounds an awful lot like 'love", so maybe its a museum where they show off a whole bunch of valentines!!"

"Why would they have an entire museum just for Valentines?" Andy asked.

"Well, Babette did once tell me that Paris was called The City of Love. Maybe they just really like valentines there!"

"Hmm, well I guess that makes sense."

"She also told me about how people there would wear berries and eat cwossants!"

"I'm not sure what a cwossant is," Topsy piped up, "but it seems pretty silly to walk around wearing berries!"

"I'm sure it seems silly to us, but things are a lot different in Paris than they are in here. Why, they even speak a different language!"

Susie asked, "But what _is_ a cwossant?"

Andy suggested, "Maybe it's some sort of pastry? Lots of pastries are supposed to be from France. And the name kinda sounds like 'cross', so maybe it's in the shape of an X?"

"Yeah, that sounds right!" Ann agreed with a grin. "And most important of all, Babette mentioned something called the Eye Filled tower."

"The Eye Filled Tower?" Grandpa repeated. "That sure sounds a bit scary, doesn't it?"

Ann nodded hesitantly. "Yeah, it does, but surely it can't be as bad as it sounds, right? When Babette talked about it, she made it sound like it was once of her favorite things, so we need to make sure we don't forget it.

She turned to Maxi-Fixit. "Do you think you'll be able to make a tower we can cover in eyes?"

He took of his hat and searched around in the top of his head for a moment before pulling out small knife. "I'm sure I could work my way around those popsicle sticks."

"Oh, wonderful! I think if we all work together, we can get our own little Paris set up before Babette wakes up from her nap! C'mon, everyone!"

The other toys made various sounds of agreement and began pulling supplies out of the kraft drawer.

It wasn't long before everyone picked a project and worked on making Babette's former home come to life. Maxi Fixit worked on cutting up pieces of popsicle sticks and glueing them back together in a general tower-ish shape. Once the glue dried, the Twin Pennies would stick on as many googly eyes as they could possibly fit onto the tower. Susie Pincishion made berry costumes for everyone out of little scraps and bits of felt while Topsy worked on cutting out pastry shapes from brown construction paper for the cwossants. Socko and Barney Beanbag worked on cutting out pieces of paper and lace to make valentines for the Loove, and Grandpa was looking for bells in the Kraft drawer to help build Noter Darn.

Ann looked up from her work on the letter for Noter Darn and smiled. Everything was coming together so well! 

And then she remembered what she forgot.

“Shoot! I forgot about the mime!”

Andy looked up from his doodles. He claimed to be working on a valentine for the Loove, but the drawings of cars and rocket ships he was drawing said otherwise. “What’s a mime?”

“Babette said it’s a black and white clown that does play pretend performances, like being stuck inside of a box!” Ann sighed sadly as she realized, “But it really won’t be like Paris unless we have a mime....”

Andy considered this description for a moment, then proceeded to groan overdramatically, “Oh, fine! I’ll be the mime, you don’t need to beg.”

“Well, thank you, Andy, but you don’t need to be the mime if you don’t want-“

“No, no, it’s alright,” Andy insisted, already walking towards the paints, “you don’t need cause such a fuss, I’ll do if you really want me to.”

(Andy secretly really wanted to be the mime, but he’d never admit that.)

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ann paced around anxiously across the playroom floor, her eyes periodically darting towards the dollhouse.

"C'mon, Annie, you can't keep working yourself up about how Babette's gonna feel about your surprise," Andy moaned. He was sitting off to the side, his face splattered in black and white paint and his pants and shirt covered with black and white felt. He'd done it all himself and was very proud of himself.

"But what if she doesn't like it as much as she likes the real Paris, Andy? Why, she's from a land where the buildings are covered with eyes! All we got is some kraft supplies and you dressed like a mime."

Andy got to his feet defensively. "I'll have you know that I happen to be the spitting image of a French mime!" He had no idea if this was correct, but he was still confident in this fact.

Ann didn't respond, just wrung her hands nervously as she continued to pace.

With a sigh, Andy approached Ann and place a supportive hand on her shoulder. "It's gonna be okay," he assured her, "Babette's gonna love it, I promise you!"

"B-But, what if she doesn't?"

"Then she'll love that you put so much effort into making something special just for her!" He took his sister by the hand and tugged her towards the dollhouse. He called up towards the balcony, "Hey, Babette! You done with your nap?!?!"

"Andrew!!" Ann elbowed her brother in his side. "That's not nice, she could be sleeping still!"

"If we wait much longer, you're going to overthink it and never want to show her!" Andy turned to the other toys, who were lazing around, waiting for their cues. "Alright, everyone, get to your places!" He instructed in a whisper-yell.

The toys scattered around the playroom, running off to hide until Ann gave them the go.

The balcony doors opened, and Babette stepped out with a yawn. She looked down and noticed and standing there bashfully, a small, nervous smile on her face. 

"Hello, Babette," she greeted, "Me- uh, me and the other toys have a s-surprise for you."

"A surprise?" Babette repeated. "What kind of surprise?"

"Well," Ann started, reaching up to help Babette down from the balcony, "I know you've been feeling a bit more homesick than usual, so the others and I tried to help bring a little bit of Paris back here!"

"Really?"

"C'mon!" Ann giggled excitedly, taking Babette by the hand and gently leading her across the playroom to the first attraction they'd built. Topsy, Grandpa, and Socko were all standing by the bookshelf, holding a long string of bells they dug out from the kraft drawer. Above them, Ann had taped up a piece of paper she had written a letter on which read: _Dear Babette, I know how much you miss Paris, but I hope our own personal Noter Darn helps you feel a little more at home! Love, Ann_

"What... What's all this?"

"It's the bells of Noter Darn!" To emphasize this, the toys shook their bells, filling the playroom with a tingling cheer.

Babette couldn't help but smile. "It's actually the bells of Notre Dame..." she corrected.

"Hey! Watch your language, now!" Andy called from his hiding place, only to be shushed by Ann.

Ann pointed out, "We made extra sure to make sure that Notre Darn had a note too."

Babette leaned in and read it. "It's a wonderful letter, Ann, but-"

"Onto the next attraction!" Ann announced, pulling Babette towards the toybox. 

Maxi-Fixit and Susie Pincushion were there, holding and showing off various valentines they'd created. There had to have been dozens of them: some were cards, some were hearts, some had lace, some had glitter, and one even had a smaller heart popping up out of its center.

"Welcome to the Loove museum! We have lots and lots of love to share!"

"Wow, these valentines are so beautiful, and you made these all by yourselves?" Babette asked, picking up one of the valentines and turning it around in her hands.

Ann nodded enthusiastically. "We sure did! We hope there was as much love as there is in the Loove, Babette!"

"Oh, but Ann, the Louvre is actually-"

But Ann was already dragging her towards the next place, by the rocking chair.

Barney Beanbag sat there gloomily, wearing an unusual costume covered in berries of all sorts and kinds. The Twin Pennies were also there, and they were juggling brown paper Xs colored to look more like pasteries. 

Ann gestured towards them and announced, "Here we have our Paris people, wearing berries and eating cwossants!"

With a hum, Babette pointed out, "You know, berets are typically worn as hats..."

Barney looked down at his costume for a moment, promptly took it off and and placed it atop his head.

Babette chuckled. " _Oui_ , that's much better."

"Oh! And what's that over there?" Ann asked rhetorically, pointing towards the windowsill. 

Perched on the windowsill was none other than Andy himself, dressed like the funny little mime he aimed to be. Beside him, there was a magnificent tower, built curtesy of Maxi-Fixit, about as high as one of the Raggedys. You could barely tell that it was built with popsicle sticks, though, since every bit of visible surface area was covered with googly eyes. 

Babette furrowed her brow and and asked Ann, "Why is this building covered in eyes?"

"Why, because it's the Eye Filled tower, of course!" Ann explained happily. "Do you like it?

Babette looked at the tower and Andy, and then back at Ann, and then at the other attractions behind them, and then back at Ann again.

And then her eyes began to well up with tears.

Ann gasped, "Oh no, Babette, don't cry!" she attempted to wipe away her tears and added, "I'm sorry if we made you upset! We can take it down if you like."

"No, no, it's not that," Babette assured her, taking one of Ann's hands in her own. "I'm just.... so incredibly happy."

"You are?"

"Never in my entire life has anyone done anything so thoughtful and kind, just for _moi_. You didn't know anything about Paris and yet you still went out of your way to make me feel more at home! I don't even know what to say, I'm so happy!" 

"Oh, Babette!" Ann wrapped her arms around the porcelain doll in a warm, tight hug. As Babette's arms returned the embrace, Ann couldn't help but ask, "Did we get it right? Is it just like the real thing?"

"Oh, no, your Paris is far sillier than the one I come from," Babette giggled. "But, I will admit that I think I like your Paris much better than the real thing."

Ann pulled out of the hug, beaming up at Babette. "Really?"

"But of course!"

"Hey, Annie!" Andy called down from the windowsill. "Did you want to show her the last surprise?"

"Another one?" Babette asked.

"Oh, yes! C'mon, I'll show you!"

She brought Babette over to the toy piano, where Grandpa sat ready to play. "Are you ready, dear?"

Ann nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, please!"

And then Grandpa began to play.

It took a moment for Babette to understand what was being played; after all, it sounded a lot different played on a toy piano than in the toy store she was originally from.

"Is this.... _La Vie En Rose_?" She asked, her porcelain heart swelling in delight.

"It's the song you were singing earlier! I had to hum it to teach Grandpa since I don't know any French words, but he's really good at piano and he figured it out real quick," Ann explained, nervously playing with her apron.

Babette looked like she was going to start crying again. "I- I'm speechless. I don't know what to say..."

"Well, you don't really have to say anything..." Ann held her hand out for her to take. "We could just dance."

Babette looked at the outstretched mitt extended to her for a moment, before taking it and giving Ann a gentle nod, wiping a tear from her cheek. Ann wrapped her other arm around her, and Babette rested her other hand atop Ann's shoulder.

They were too wrapped up in their own little world to notice, but the other toys began to dance too. Maxi-Fixit and Susie paired off together, the Twin Pennies did their own little silly routine together, and Andy simply moved in whatever way he darn felt like, still wearing his mime costume.

Ann pressed her head against Babette's chest with a sigh. "Babette?"

"Hmm?"

"I think.... I think I feel a whole lot like this song..."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Why is that?"

"Well," Ann grew a bit bashful, "whenever I'm with you, Babette, I feel like the whole entire world's turned pink, just like you said the singer feels..."

"Oh, Annie," Babette mused, gently pulling Ann's head out of her chest and lifting her head so she was looking at her. She pressed a gentle kiss to her embroidered nose. "I assure you that when I'm with you, the world's gone pink as well."

Ann grinned and held Babette a bit closer as they continued to dance about the playroom, blissfully unaware of the other toys around them.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later, when Marcella eventually came home, she'd run up to her playroom to find the most unusual sight. 

Raggedy Ann and Babette were sitting together on the rocking chair, just about holding hands.

And though she would confused by this (she could've sworn she left Babette in the dollhouse), she wouldn't think too much about it. She was just a child after all.

If she had discovered Andy, still very much covered in paint and felt from his day as a mime, hiding in the dollhouse to avoid suspicion, well, that would've been a different story entirely.


End file.
